– LIDDELL UNDISPUTED CHAMPION

MMAWeekly Radio/Transcribed by Jeff Cain
So what do you do after demolishing Jeremy Horn and Randy Couture in consecutive fights? You throw out the first pitch for the upcoming Yankees game.

Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell successfully defended his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Jeremy Horn. As the sport has grown, so has Liddell’s popularity. He’s getting opportunities that UFC fighters haven’t in the past.

Last Wednesday Liddell threw out the first pitch at the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game against the New York Mets. He’ll throw out the first pitch at the upcoming Devil Rays vs Yankees game in Florida. Chuck spoke exclusively with MMAWeekly Radio about his first title defense, and his Major League Baseball pitching appearances. If you want to listen to the interview, check our the Radio Archive.

MMAWeekly Radio: We’re making bets for when you throw out the first pitch at the next game. I predict that it’s going to be a two bouncer before it gets to the catcher.

Chuck Liddell: It’s a little late to make bets, I already threw it.

MMAWeekly Radio: You haven’t throw it.

Liddell: I already threw it. It was yesterday.

MMAWeekly: What?

Liddell: It was with the Diamondbacks.

MMAWeekly: Well rumor has it you’re going to Tampa to throw it against the Yankees Wednesday.

Liddell: Yeah that’s my second one. It ain’t going to bounce.

MMAWeekly: What did you do yesterday? Did you bounce it in the dirt yesterday?

Liddell: No.

MMAWeekly: What did you do?

Liddell: If it was a right handed batter it would have been a little bit inside. Actually it might have hit him.

MMAWeekly: So you almost threw a strike?

Liddell: Yeah. The catcher caught it. Yeah.

MMAWeekly: Unbelievable. I would have definitely thought you would throw a two bouncer.

Liddell: I was a little worried because I hadn’t thrown a hardball in about five years probably. I haven’t thrown a soft ball in probably three.

MMAWeekly: Are you athletic?

Liddell: I played all the sports growing up. I played baseball. I played football. I actually played a year in college…Until I got to high school I played basketball, baseball, football, then in high school I played football, baseball, and then track, and then I went into wrestling instead of baseball. I think it was a good move for me.

MMAWeekly: I didn’t know you were so athletic. We thought you were a robot. (laughs) Congratulations by the way. Good win for you.

Liddell: Thanks.

MMAWeekly: What surprised you about that fight? Anything?

Liddell: How well he could take a shot. I mean I knew I was going to have to test his chin, but he can take a punch.

MMAWeekly: He kept getting up. Were you surprised in that second round when he kept getting up?

Liddell: Not really. I know he’s a tough guy. I knew he wasn’t out, that’s why I kept standing back. If I thought I had him out I would have stayed on top of him, hitting him.

MMAWeekly: How have you changed as a fighter from, you know you had that mini losing streak when you lost to Couture and Rampage to now. How have you changed as a fighter between those two time periods in your life.

Liddell: A lot of it is training smarter. I mean I got hurt before both of those fights, and just ended up fighting anyway, but I learned…I can’t train right while I’m hurt, I mean it’s one thing to have injuries and as long as you can keep training through them.

MMAWeekly: How are you doing with all this new fame. Pictures all over the place, everyone’s starting to recognize you. How’s it going with you?

Liddell: It’s going alright. I mean it’s kind of weird doing that stuff if you want me to come do that stuff. But it’s really cool. I got to take my boy with me, and he got to run around. Me and him ended up playing a game of catch out on the field. He got to ride around with the mascot, got to ride around in the cart and stuff. It was really fun for him, so it was great to take my boy.

MMAWeekly: Chuck, how bad do you want to, I mean I look at your record now. You’ve avenged all of your loses except for one. How bad do you want to fight Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson?

Liddell: Real bad. Especially now that they’re playing that trying to whatever. Pride’s trying to play that. If they want to show they’re the best guys, let me fight Wanderlei. Let me fight their champion. If they want to show they’ve got the best fighters at 205, let me fight their guy.

MMAWeekly: Are you talking about FOX where they’re showing the clips and stuff?

Liddell: Yeah. Yep. If they want to show they’ve got the best fighters at 205, then let them fight me. Put their money where their mouth is.

MMAWeekly: Man I’d like to see it.

Liddell: Put their money where their mouth is.

MMAWeekly: We would all love to see it. That would be great. Hey man I’ll let you get back to whatever.